Fred Bousquet threats French Swimming to boycott 2011 World Championship - Swimming News
French swimming star, Fred Bousquet, has put himself in a conflict with the French Swimming Federation, as he has warned them to give up the World titles in July, if his coach, Brett Hawke, is not present at the swimming pool in China, as a part of French
Swimming Team.
Bousquet said, “Only bloody idiots don't change their minds. When I am faced with people who don't share my values, communication ceases.”
He also confirmed that the technical director to the French Team, Christian Donzé, will not listen to his suggestion as he does not want to disrupt the panel of coaches working along with the team manager and head coach, Lionel Horter.
While addressing a question, Bousquet uttered that he will not go to Shanghai without his coach, as he values his mentor, his family and the people in his life. He also said that he does not see any reason to go to Shanghai without his coach, as he needs
personal attention and guidance before his events to perform at his best in the World championships.
Bousquet won two silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle in the 2009 World Championships in Rome, behind Brazil’s Cesar Cielo. Moreover, he is the only key swimmer of France, who will surely reach the podium at Shanghai.
On the other hand, the federation has offered to pay a plane ticket for Hawke to Shanghai, but Bousquet said that he is not selling a carpet and he needs time to find the best possible solution.
Bousquet declares to be uncomfortable with the current coach, Roman Barnier and said, “Roman is not on the same strategy as the one that I set up with Brett. He already has four athletes qualified for World championships [Gilot, Lacourt, Mallet, Meynard].
At my age, because I feel the need, I ask for a lot of attention. Some people see it as a defect, me I see it as a frame of mind.”
Donze has excused from Fred’s request by saying that he met the French swimming star and has explained him of his viewpoint as a selector of French Swimming. He said that the current panel of coaches is working very well together and there appears to be
no problem in their work, so it is impossible to break the French model chain and add someone out of the country.
He also said that he is very happy with the French Long Course Nationals and the selection criteria for swimmers who topped their swims at the 2010 European Long Course Championships, to be pre-selected for the Shanghai World Championships.
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